Flashback Friday

Our Workplace Policies Are Stuck In The Mad Men Era. It’s Time For Progress.

Fifty years ago, 25 percent of women were their family’s primary breadwinner or co-breadwinner. Today, that number has more than doubled to nearly two-thirds of women. Yet, our workplace policies — from equal pay for equal work to policies for paid medical and family leave — have failed to keep up.

So for today, we’ve put together some graphics that explain just how stuck in the past we still are. Pick your favorite — or all three — and share them on Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #timeforprogress!

Women are consistently paid less than their male counterparts and make up a disproportionate share of low-wage workers. Enacting stronger equal pay protections is a key step — it will hold employers more accountable for their practices, ensure vigorous enforcement, and empower women to uncover discrimination and negotiate for salaries they deserve.

More and more women are entering the workplace as a primary breadwinner or co-breadwinner for their families. Yet there are no laws in place to prevent a parent from getting fired if they need to stay home and take care of a sick child.

Father’s Day is this Sunday. Here’s a reminder that fathers are spending more time than ever before sharing childcare responsbilities. But workplace leave policies are not reacting to the changing roles in our society as women assume a greater role in the workplace and men elevate their familial responsibilities.

BOTTOM LINE: It’s time for progress when it comes to policies that make women, men, and their families more secure. We’ve been stuck in the Mad Men era for too long.